This week’s roundup digs into a handful of issues shaping life in Marin County — from a heated planning decision in Fairfax and a lingering criminal case to new coastal construction in Stinson Beach and a lighter event in Novato. These stories capture the mix of civic process, public safety, housing pressure, and local quirks that residents from San Rafael to Mill Valley know all too well.
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Fairfax Planning Commission Weighs Revoking Artists’ Collective Permit
The Fairfax Planning Commission is gearing up for a big hearing that could decide the fate of a controversial property at 10 Olema Road. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, commissioners will meet at the Fairfax Women’s Club to consider pulling back a conditional use permit granted last June for the Ranch, an artists’ collective.
The permit let the collective keep operating if the owners met several requirements, like submitting building plans for past unauthorized work and fixing fire safety problems. Town planners say those requirements haven’t been met.
Permit Conditions and a Potential Sale
Planning staff have written up a resolution to yank the permit, citing ongoing safety worries and noncompliance. It’s another example of Fairfax’s struggle to keep its creative side alive while still enforcing building and fire codes — a dance familiar all over Marin, from Larkspur to Sausalito.
In a letter to the town, co-owner Doug Wong said he’s planning to vacate and sell the Olema Road property. Wong said he’d prefer to sell to a developer focused on affordable housing, which probably hits home for a community wrestling with the same housing crunch as San Anselmo and Corte Madera.
Parole Denied in 1986 Marin County Murder Case
In other news, Sean McDonald DeRutte, now 58, won’t get parole for another five years. He’s serving a sentence of 15 years to life for the 1986 murder of his 70-year-old neighbor, Jane Ross.
Crime, Accountability and Time Served
DeRutte was 19 at the time and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after investigators matched a bloody palm print at the scene to him. His attorney and family have always said his actions were driven by drug use and untreated mental health issues.
New Home Proposed for Stinson Beach Coastal Parcel
Switching gears, the Marin County Community Development Agency is now looking over plans for a new single-family home at 123 Seadrift Road in Stinson Beach. The empty 7,500-square-foot lot last sold in 2022 for $2.65 million, which says a lot about the demand for coastal property.
Project Details Under Review
The proposal includes:
No public hearing is on the calendar yet, but you can check out project details online. Like in Bolinas and Inverness, new building in Stinson Beach tends to get a lot of attention because of environmental concerns and limited infrastructure.
Novato Library Hosts Community Movie Matinee
Looking for something lighter to end the week? The Novato Library at 1720 Novato Blvd. is hosting a free matinee screening of the classic film The Princess Bride on Jan. 24.
The movie starts at 2:30 p.m. and wraps up around 4. Plus, they’re handing out snacks—always a bonus, right?
It’s little things like this that really show the strong sense of community in Marin County. Whether you’re catching a movie in Novato, hanging out at a park in Tiburon, or joining a film night in Mill Valley, there’s a genuine warmth here that’s hard to miss.
Here is the source article for this story: In Your Town for Jan. 14, 2026
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